Virginia Adams, RCP, is a woman in long term recovery and serves as the Manager of the Hartford Recovery Community Center for CCAR. Virginia obtained her Recovery Coach Professional designation and utilizes her skills to facilitate an environment in which participants can learn and grow. Virginia believe in the adage that “transformed people, transform people” and is grateful for the opportunities to bear witness to such transformations.

Amy Albanese, Special Events Manager

Dimitri Bakes, RCP is a person in recovery who works as an Emergency Department Recovery Coach for the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery. He is a recent graduate from Gateway Community College’s DARC program, and is working towards his CAC State Certification. He enjoys traveling and spending time with his family and dogs. His passion is working with people, especially those with substance use disorders, and animals. Dimitri deeply believes in the power and benefits of peer support and connection, as well as the idea that “Transformed People, Transform People.”

Cathy Bergren, RCP. As the Manager of the CCAR Recovery Community Center in Manchester, CT my main goal is to put a face on recovery. I participate in community events and partner with area providers to get the message across that recovery is possible. I also recruit volunteers, conduct trainings and workshops and perform recovery coaching. I am looking forward to expanding my role to facilitate CCAR trainings and believe that I will learn as much from those I train as they will from me.

Travis Caouette, RCP (He, Him) serves at the Virtual Production Team Manager for CCAR. As a person living in mental health recovery, he brings his own life-experience and compassion to all online trainings. In doing this work, Travis has found that meeting people where they’re at with love and patience can take someone from the nervousness of being brand new to online learning to a virtual expert in no time. His passion for mental health education and awareness is evident in his work, but it shines through in his hobbies that include writing poetry, playing music, and graphic design.

Stacy Charpentier, RCP, CPRS, serves as the Director of Training for CCAR. Identifying as a family member, Stacy infuses that perspective as she facilitates. Through this work, she has found her own journey of recovery, which has an emphasis on overall health and well-being. A believer in lifelong learning, Stacy looks forward to any opportunity to facilitate, there is something to learn from everyone she meets.

Domenick Galarneau is a RCP for CCAR. He works with both the DOC and the MPD H.O.P.E. Programs as a recovery coach. He is a person in long term recovery from SUD/OUD and his passion is to help people achieve long term recovery and find freedom from active addiction. He is an ambassador for CCAR and all things recovery, who loves to learn and share his experience, strength, and hope with all people who desire change. “ Recovery is the best gift, both to receive and give away”

Brian McManus, JD, RCP, is a person in long term recovery and a formerly incarcerated person. He currently serves as the program manager for CCAR’s Department of Correction Recovery Coach Program. Brian believes in using his experience to help others realize that recovery is possible and our pasts do not have to define who we are. Outside of work, Brian enjoys spending time with his wife, three daughters and his dog Bart. Brian is also a New York Certified Peer Recovery Advocate (CPRA) and Certified Addiction Recovery Coach (CARC).

Regina McGarrah, RCP, Program Coordinator, EDRC

Melissa McGee, RCP. Melissa is a Recovery Coach for our Department of Corrections program. She is a woman in long term recovery from alcohol dependence. She is passionate about helping people who are seeking recovery. Melissa also believes in the ripple effect, facilitating trainings helps others who then help others creating the ripple effect of recovery.

Kelly Mills, Volunteer Manager

Rita Natale, RCP, is the Center Manager for the New Haven Recovery Community center and identifies as a woman in long term recovery. She has obtained her Recovery Coach Professional designation and is greatly passionate about expanding her role at CCAR through facilitating trainings. She believes strongly in putting a positive face on recovery and looks forward to shedding light on the many pathways of recovery available today. She is looking forward to showing how asking good questions, listening intently and treating people as their own best resource opens the door for true connection and healing. Being a firm believer that transformed people, transform people, she is excited to be part of the learning and growth that occurs from working with others seeking recovery.

Michael Serrano, RCP, Facilitator Development Coordinator

Barry Richardson, RCP, has served for CCAR as an Emergency Department Recovery Coach for the last 3.5 years. It has been a wonderful and rewarding experience. He looks forward to share those experiences with future coaches as a facilitator. Barry also enjoys hearing new perspectives of other coaches.

John Schwartz, RCP, Windham Recovery Community Center Manager

Kevin Shuler, RCP, is a Person in Recovery who has served as an Emergency Department Recovery Coach for CCAR, and is currently serves in the position as Emergency Department Recovery Coach Manager. Kevin has obtained his RCP and has utilized the skills obtained to help support and connect Recoverees to their own stated Pathways of Recovery. He has also transferred Recovery Coaching principles into his current role of Coaching, Coaches. Kevin possesses a strong desire to facilitate Recovery Coaching with the intention of exposing participants to the power of asking a good question and treating Recoveree’s as their own best resource.

Brian Robbins, RCP Recovery Community Center Program Manager

Phil Valentine, RCP, CCAR Executive Director, finished a thruhike of the entire Appalachian Trail, a trek of 2,189.2 miles. It took 189 days and 6 pairs of boots. During that sacred time, his purpose in life became more precisely defined: It is, simply, to coach recovery. Serving as the CCAR Executive Director since 2004, he has trained the CCAR Recovery Coach Academy© dozens of times and has had a hand in modifying, improving and adapting various recovery coach curricula.

Richie Walsh, RCP, DOC Recovery Coach